Collapsible dental chair



Sept. 25, 1928. 1,685,599

- J. P. FLETCHER I COLLAPSIBLE DENTAL CHAIR Filed Aug. 13, 1927 3Sheets-Sheet 1 /z FIG-.1 4

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J. F. FLETCHER COLLAPSIBLE DENTAL CHAIR Filed Aug. 13, 1927 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 25, 1928.

J. P. FLETCHER COLLAPSIBLE DENTAL CHAIR Filed Aug. 13, 1927 5Sheets-Sheet 3 fi/VENTOR.

J) P/ZETCHER 5d JWW Patented Sept. 25, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN P. FLETCHER, OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY, CARLISLE, PENNSYLVANIA,

COLLA PSIBLE DENTAL CHAIR.

Application filed August 13, 1927. Serial No. 212,824.

(GRANTED UNDER THE ACT OF MARCH 3, 1883, AS AMENDED APRIL 30, 1928; 370O. G. 757.)

This invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or forthe Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me ofany royalty thereon.

This invention relates to dental chalrs, more particularly it isdirected to those of the collapsible type, designed to be folded into acompact portable unit whose dimensions admit. of convenienttransportation.

One of the objects of this invention is to design a dental chair forarmy field service which may be collapsed into an extremely compactstructure affording maximum shipping facilities and when set up in thefield contributes all the adjustment advantages of the more complexoffice chair.

Another object of this invention is to effect a collapsible dental chaircharacterized by its rugged construction, comparatively few parts andthe simplicity and ease with which the seat, back and head rest may beadjusted to the requirements of the patient.

Other objects of this invention are to produce a dental chair capable ofbeing folded for transportation and set up in the field without removingor adding a single article of equipment and to provide a structurewherein the flexible element functioning to limit. the spread of thelegs may be utilized as a means to maintain the components of thechair'in folded relation.

lVith these and other objects in view this invention consists in certainnovel details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts tobe more particularly hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Briefly stated, this invention comprises front and rear leg sectionshinged at their upper extremities. a back, adjustably' connected to thehinge bar of the leg sections, a seat carried by the front leg sections,means in connection with the front leg section and seat to horizontallysupport the latter at predetermined elevations, back and head restsadjustably mounted on the back, a foot rest pivotally connected to thelower end of the front leg section and a5 flexible memberinterconnecting the sections to limit their spread.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawings in whichcorresponding parts are indicated by similar reference characters:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the components of the chair inoperative positlon;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the arrangement of the chairwhen folded for transportation I Fig. 3 is a perspective showing thechair partially folded with parts extending in dotted outline;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating more clearly the arrangementfor adjustably securing the back to the rear leg section, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail illustrating more clearly the rearconstruction of the chair.

The type of dental chair heretofore uti lized in the dental fieldservice of the army, when arranged for transportation, presented aparcel of irregular outline in no wise conducive to the conservation ofshipping space, and upon being crated or set up in the field involvedthe removal or addition of certain parts of equipment such as the footand head rests and not infrequently these being detached f om the mainstructure were lost in the shipment of the chair from place to place.

It is therefore the aim and purpose of this invention to provide acollapsible dental chair, which when folded will present a compact unitof substantially rectangular configuration and upon being erected in thefield will be complete in every detail of equipment.

In the illustrated embodiment characterizing this invention there isshown a support (1) comprising front and rear leg sections, therespective sections embodying parallel side members (2) and (3) and (2')and (3) interconnected at their lower ends by suitably arranged crossbars (4:) and (4') and hinged at their upper extremities as at (5) tothe hinge rod (6).

A back (7) is pivotally connected to the hinge rod (6) and consists ofthe laterally spaced parallel leaves (8) and (9) hinged as at (10) tosaid hinge rod (6) and tapered from their hinged to their outerextremities.

A back rest (10) is adjustably positioned on the back intermediate itsextremity by means of the bolts (11), which extend through the parallelslots (12) in the backrest and through suitable openings in therespective leaves of the back, the bolts (11) being secured in positionby wing or similar adj usting nuts (13).

To permit back (7) to be supported in adjusted relation with. respect tothe seat hereinafter to be mentioned it is provided with a pivotedextension (15) hinged at its upper end as at (14) between the leaves (8)and (9) of the back and formed at its lower end with a series ofopenings (16). The free end of extension (15) passes through a guide(17) interconnecting the upper ends of braces (18) which are pivoted at(19) to the members (2) and (3) of the rear leg sections. Pin (20)passing through guide (17). and one of the openings (16) in the pivotedextension (15) enables the back to be supported at the desired angle.

A seat (21) including parallels cross bar (23) and cover (2 1) ispivotally connected to an upper pivotal rod (25) extending between theupper extremities of the side members (2) and of the front leg sectionand through the rear ends of parallels .(22) of the seat. .Seat (21) ishorizontally supported by a brace (26) consisting of side bars (27) andcrossbar (28) extending'between their lower ends. The upper extremitiesof said side bars (27) are hingedly connected. to the forward end ofparallels of the seat, while the lower ends of the bars (27) arepivotally connected to lower hinge rod (29) extending between the sidemembers (2) and of the front leg section.

In order that the seat may be adjusted to various elevations the sidemembers and (3) of the front leg section are provided with two groups ofaligning and registering openings (30) and (31). With this arrangementthe elevation of the seat may be changed by selecting a dilferentopening for the passage of the upper and lower jhinge rods and (29) aswill be apparent without further discussion.

The foot rest (32) ispivotally connected to the lower extremities oflegs (2) and of thefront leg section through the medium of therearwardlyextending arms (33) and is supported in proper angularrelation with respect to the seat by feet (34) interconnected at theirlower end by cross bar (35) and hinged at their upper extremities as at(361)1 to the outer ends of arms (33) as clearly s own in Fig. 4 of thedrawings.

To equip the back with a head rest having a substantially universalmovement, a head restsupport (37) is provided with a head rest (38)pivotally connected to its upper end as at The support (37) isadjustably positioned between the upper extremi ties of the leaves (8)and (9) of the back by means of bolt (40), guide ways ii) in the leaves(8) and (9) and the guideway (42) in the support (37). A winged nut (43)threaded on the end of bolt (40) enables the extremities of the leavesand to be drawn together so as to clamp the support (37) therebctween inany adjusted position.

To limit the spread of the front and rear leg sections a strap n) ispassed around the cross bars (4-) and (4) of said sections, the freeextremities of the strap beingunited by a buckle (45) or similar means.

F rom the foregoing structural details it will be apparent the procedurerequisite to folding the chair into the compact structure shown in Fig.2 of the drawings is as follows: The pivotal extension 15) is disengagedfrom the guide (16) on the upper end of the brace (17). The extension isthen folded to a position intermediate leaves (8) and (9) and brace (17)downwardly between theside members (2) and (3) of the rear legsection,as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

Head rest (38) having been adjusted relative to its support as shown inFig. 1 of the drawings is folded to the rear of the back and clamped inthis position whereupon the back with the head rest'disposed asaforesaid is folded to a position intermediate the sidemembers of therear leg section. The seat supporting brace (26) is next disengaged fromthe side members of the front leg section and folded to a positionunderlying the seat and the latter is dropped be tween the side members(2) and (3) of the front leg section, as shown in Fig. 3 of thedrawings.

The foot rest with its supporting feet is now folded to a positionbetween the side members-(2) and (3) and its feet collapsed as shown inFig. 3 of the drawings. The front and rear leg sections having beenbrought together the folded unit is securely bound with the strap (42)as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

Folding "the components of the chair as just defined manifestly providesan extremely compact structure the dimensions of which will'effect amaterial conservation in shipping space.

In conclusion it is manifest this invention provides a simple andinexpensive dental chair which by virtue of its rugged nature willreadily withstand the severe usage of army service and afford to thedentist in the field all the advantages of the more elaborate officeequipment.

Although in the foregoing certain elements have been described as bestadapted to perform the functions allotted to them, nevertheless it is tobe understood that various minor changes may be resorted to withl ousminor changes may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claimswithout departing from or sacrificing any of the principles of thisinvention. 7

Having described my invention what I claim as new and wish to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. A collapsible dental chair comprising in combination front and rearleg sections, a hinge rod pivotally connecting the upper extremities ofsaid sections, a back hinged to said rod and including laterally spacedleaves, a back rest adjustably carried by said leaves, a head restadjustably supported intermediate the upper ends of said leaves, anextension pivoted to the back below the head rest and between saidleaves, a brace in engagement with the rear leg section, means to effecta detachable connection between said brace and said pivoted extension, aseat pivoted to the upperportion of the front leg section. a supportingbrace hingedly connected to the seat and detachably engaged with saidfront leg section.

2. A collapsible dental chair comprising in combination front and rearleg sections, a hinge rod pivotally connecting the upper extremities ofsaid sections, a back hinged to said rod and comprising laterally spacedleaves, an extension pivoted to the back intermediate its leaves, abrace pivoted to the rear lef, section, a guide member carried by theupper end of the brace and receiving said extension, means in connectionwith the guide and extension to secure the latter at predeterminedpoints in its length, a back rest secured to said back, a head restadjustably positioned between the upper ends of said leaves, and a seatcollapsiblysup ported by the front leg section.

3. A collapsible dental chair comprising in combination front andrearleg sections, a hinge rod pivotally connecting the upper extremitiesof said sections, a back pivoted to the rod and comprising laterallyspaced leaves, an extension connected to the. back and pivoted at itsupper end between said leaves, a brace pivotally connected to the saidrear leg section. a guide member carried by the upper end of said braceand receiving the free end of said extension, coacting means between theguide member and extension to secure the latter at predetermined pointsalong its length, a head'rest including a support, means to adjustablyclamp said support between 'the upper end of said leaves, a back restcarried by .the leaves of said back and adjustable longitudinallythereof, a seat hinged to the upper end of the front leg section, asupporting brace hingedly connected to the forward part of the seat anddetachably engaging the front leg section at predetermined pointsthereof, and a foot rest pivotally connected to the lower end of thefront leg section.

4. A collapsible dental chair comprising in combination front and rearleg sections including parallel side members, cross bars arrangedintermediate the lower ends of said members, a flexible memberinterconnecting the cross bars of the respective sections, and limitingthe spread thereof, a hinge rod pivotally connected to the upper end ofsaid side members, a seat carried by said front leg section and foldableintermediate its side members, means in connection with the seat andfront leg section to horizontally support the former at predeterminedelevations, a back hingedly connected to said hinge rod and adjustablerelative to said seat, a head rest mounted on the upper end of saidback, and movable relative thereto, a back rest adjustably mounted onsaid back and a foot rest connected to the lower end of the front legsection and foldable intermediate its side members.

5. A collapsible dental chair comprising in combination front and rearleg sections each including parallel side members, cross barsinterconnecting the lower end of the respective members, a flexibleelement embracing said cross bars and limiting the spread of saidsections, a hinge rod pivotally connecting the upper ends of said sidemembers, a seat carried by the front legsection and foldableintermediate its members,

means in connection with the front leg section and seat to horizontallysupport the latter at predetermined elevations, a back pivoted to saidhinge rod and including laterally spaced leaves foldable between theside members of the rear leg sections, an extension pivoted to andfoldable between said leaves, a brace hingedly connected to the rear legsection and adapted to be detachably engaged with said extension, saidbrace when disengaged from said extension being foldable intermediatethe side members of the rear section, a head rest adjust-ably" mountedon the upper end of the back intermediate said leaves, said head restwhen the back is in folded position being disposed in overlying relationwith the rear surface of said back, aback rest adjustably posi-' tionedon said back and a foot rest pivoted to the front leg section andfoldable intermediate the side members thereof.

JOHN P. FLETCHER.

